China-Europe Talent Forum Held in Beijing

The 2024 China-Europe Talent Forum was held in Beijing on October 15. With the theme of Sharing Together, Growing Together, Winning Together - Bridging Continents: Fostering Future-Fit Talent Development, the forum invited more than 240 Chinese and foreign guests to participate in in-depth exchanges and dialogues and promote cooperation between China and Europe in talent innovation. 

The event, which consisted of one main forum and six sub-forums, was co-hosted by the Beijing Talent Work Bureau and Switzerland’s Adecco Group. During the main forum, renowned Chinese and European scholars, representatives of international organizations, Nobel laureates, academicians and experts, heads of well-known think tanks, executives of multinational enterprises, and other guests conducted in-depth exchanges and dialogues to discuss China-Europe talent cooperation and innovation within the context of globalization. The sub-forums focused on the themes of youth, education, scientific and technological talents, culture, economy and trade, and international sports. Attendees had in-depth discussions on the key role of talents in the development of China-Europe relations, and further promoted practical ways for cooperation. 

Yin Li, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech,  and former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin delivered a video speech. Yin Yong, mayor of Beijing, presided over the opening ceremony. Deng Li, vice foreign minister of China, Jürg Burri, Swiss ambassador to China, Du Zhanyuan, president of China International Communications Group (CICG), Gong Qihuang, president of Peking University, and Jean-Christophe Deslarzes, chair of Adecco Group, each delivered keynote speeches.  

During the forum, a number of talent cooperation projects were launched or unveiled. A Memorandum of Understanding in support of the operations of international science and technology organizations in Beijing was signed by the China Center for International Science and Technology Exchange, Beijing Talent Work Bureau, and Beijing Association for Science and Technology. It is part of Beijing’s efforts to build itself into an international hub of scientific and technological innovation. The GNIS China-Europe Innovation Center was launced by Beijing Overseas Talents Center and the government of  Xicheng District to build a broad stage for the innovation and entrepreneurship of young talents from both China and Europe. The Internship Base between Peking University and Adecco Group was unveiled. It provides internship opportunities, professional internship advice, and career consultation to achieve positive interaction between unviersities and enterprises and strive to improve the global career development ability of outstanding young students. 

During the section of publicizing research results, Adecco Group released the 2024 Global Workforce of the Future Report, which delved into a wide range of key topics concerning enterprises and workers worldwide, including employability skills, work practice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), employee welfare, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the labor market.  With up-to-date opinions on the trend of workforce, this report provides employers with insights into future strategic planning.  

The Beijing Institute of Talent Development Strategy, Springer Nature, Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, and FESCO jointly released the 2024 Global City Talent Retention Index. This report assesses the talent retention performance and talent development environment of 120 cities in 41 countries in six dimensions: economy, innovation, cultural openness, ecological well-being, social welfare, and public life. Beijing is ranked fifth among leading cities worldwide by virtue of its great potential for innovation and strong economic foundation, becoming the only Chinese city to rank in the top 10 on the list for five consecutive years.   

A round-table discussion was held centering on topics including international talent cultivation strategies in the modern global environment, deepening international talent exchange, and creating a favourable talent ecosystem. Vice President of the Acedemic Affairs of Springer Nature Nick Campbell, President (European) of China Europe International Business School Dominique Turpin, Honorary Chief English Editor at Foreign Languages Press of CICG and winner of the Chinese Government Friendship Award David Ferguson, Dean of the Guanghua School of Management of Peking University Liu Qiao, CEO and Chief Editor of Diplomatic World Barbara Dietrich took part in the discussion and shared their ideas on how to improve China-Europe talent cooperation. 

China Europe Forum was initiated by Chinese Embassy in Switzerland and Adecco Group in 2018, and this year marks its sixth forum. Over the years, it has become an important link in promoting China-Europe relations, cooperation, and exchanges. This year’s forum has brought China-Europe talent cooperation to a higher level, expanded Beijing’s international influence in global talent exchanges, and enhanced its branding, contributing to Beijing’s endeavors to build itself into a global hub of exchange and scientific and technological innovation.  

At the forum, the Leading Group for Talent Work of the Beijing Municipal CPC Committee and CICG, as the guiding organizers of the forum, signed a strategic cooperation agreement to deepen cooperation in more fields and consolidate outcomes.  The Center for Europe and Africa (China Today) under CICG organized the culture sub-forum and produced a special edition of China Today magazine for the event which, as the designated magazine, appeared in the main forum and all the sub-forums and won praise from guests attending the forum.